QTL alleles from a winter feed type can improve malting quality in barley

Mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) responsible for malting quality traits in barley populations has been the main genetic approach to malting quality breeding. A ‘winter × spring’ doubled haploid barley population ‘Nure’ × ‘Tremois’, where such traits were segregating, has been recently developed. Our objective was to map QTLs for malting quality from 2 years of trials in two contrasting locations. QTLs were found on six chromosomes, with a main cluster on chromosome 1H. For wort viscosity and malt extract, favourable alleles at two loci on chromosome 5H were carried by the winter feeding parent ‘Nure’. Doubled‐haploids with higher quality than the spring malting cultivar ‘Tremois’ showed either a facultative or a winter growth habit and a level of frost tolerance comparable with that of the winter tolerant parent ‘Nure’. Markers and QTLs of quality traits were further validated on a separate set of DH lines, coming from the same cross, by means of marker‐assisted selection. This showed that, at least in the present cross combination, positive contributions to malting quality can be found in winter feed barley.     

Evaluation of methods for the assessment of malting quality in barley breeding

Summary Methods for assessing malting quality in barley breeding were evaluated for their precision, including variation between different batches, analysts and barley samples. The barley characters measured were grain moisture, ground grain moisture (two methods), grain weight, steep moisture, malt moisture (two methods), malt yield, malt nitrogen, malt soluble nitrogen, Kolbach index, malt diastatic power, malt -amylase, malt -glucanase, wort refractive index, hot water extract, extract yield, wort reducing sugars, wort total carbohydrates, wort -amino nitrogen and wort total nitrogen. The value of these measurements in barley breeding is discussed.     

Employment of hordein subunit polymorphisms in establishing selection criteria for high quality malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.)

Cereal seed storage proteins are encoded by complex multigene families and their subunit profiles are highly related to end-use qualities. Each fraction of albumin and hordein was extracted and its subunit profile was evaluated in related to malt and grain quality parameters. The purpose of this study was to provide selection criteria for high quality malting barley using grain and malt quality parameters and biochemical-genetic information. Grain and malt quality of 13 local adaptability test (LAT) lines were evaluated for malting process. A total of 16 germplasm accessions of high or low seed storage protein content were also evaluated for biochemicalgenetic analysis. The correlation coefficients among quality parameters were analyzed. Several important quality parameters in brewing process showed significant positive or negative correlations. Seed storage protein subunits of albumin and hordein of all tested lines and accessions were evaluated using 12% 1D SDS-PAGE. Scored data of protein subunit’s presence or absence was applied to Agglomerative Hierarchical Clustering (AHC) for statistical analysis and showed specific grouping patterns among tested lines. Clustered lines with subunit information were highly related with agricultural performance and grain and malt qualities. Based on the profiles of seed storage protein subunits, association of hordein subunit of 38, 43, and 65 kDa with high malt scored lines was found. The obtained results would provide improved selection criteria for high quality malting barley in the malting barley breeding program.     

Possibility of exploiting the Yd2 resistance to BYDV in spring barley breeding

The effects of the Yd2 gene on tolerance to barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and other agronomically important characters in spring barley were evaluated in a set of randomly selected doubled haploid (DH) lines of an‘Igri’/‘Atlas 68’ cross and three crosses between CIMMYT Yd2 materials and the Czech malting barley ‘Akcent’. The cleaved amplified polymorphic site (CAPS) diagnostic marker Yd2 was used for identification of the Yd2 gene and this analysis showed high agreement with the results of field infection tests. Yd2 lines exhibited significantly lower symptom scores and lower reductions of some grain yield characters, but their resistance level was not consistent over the years. The presence of secondary stresses (high temperature/drought) in 2000 led to relatively higher sensitivity to BYDV infection, strengthened by the long life cycle of genotypes. In cases where secondary stresses were mild (in 2002), the longer life cycle significantly increased sensitivity to BYDV infection only in the absence of the Yd2 gene (in susceptible genotypes). The examination of different vegetative, grain yield and malting quality characters separately for groups of Yd2 and non‐ Yd2 lines did not show any evidence of adverse effect of the Yd2 gene on any character.     

Malting quality as affected by barley breeding (1944–1998) in Argentina

Eight malting cultivars of barley released from 1944 to 1998 in Argentina were sown in two growing seasons to evaluate the effect of breeding on malting quality. An adequate grain weight and screening percentage as in the older varieties were maintained in the recent releases. The grain protein concentration decreased in the modern cultivars together with a decreased in C-and an increased in B-hordein. These results were achieved without a clear trend through the time. Malt extract was increased by 0.054% per year in the period analysed and the most important contribution in the quality improvement was the introduction of Beka (known as a high quality cultivar released in Europe) in1966. There was not a clear trend in the breeding process to obtain more stability between years in the quality attributes, at least, in the characteristics analysed in the present study. Conversely, malt extract was less variable and this tendency was observed through the years of release of the cultivars. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Multi-model uncertainty analysis in predicting grain N for crop rotations in Europe

Realistic estimation of grain nitrogen (N; N in grain yield) is crucial for assessing N management in crop rotations, but there is little information on the performance of commonly used crop models for simulating grain N. Therefore, the objectives of the study were to (1) test if continuous simulation (multi-year) performs better than single year simulation, (2) assess if calibration improves model performance at different calibration levels, and (3) investigate if a multi-model ensemble can substantially reduce uncertainty in reproducing grain N. For this purpose, 12 models were applied simulating different treatments (catch crops, CO₂ concentrations, irrigation, N application, residues and tillage) in four multi-year rotation experiments in Europe to assess modelling accuracy. Seven grain and seed crops in four rotation systems in Europe were included in the study, namely winter wheat, winter barley, spring barley, spring oat, winter rye, pea and winter oilseed rape. Our results indicate that the higher level of calibration significantly increased the quality of the simulation for grain N. In addition, models performed better in predicting grain N of winter wheat, winter barley and spring barley compared to spring oat, winter rye, pea and winter oilseed rape. For each crop, the use of the ensemble mean significantly reduced the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) between simulations and observations to less than 15%, thus a multi–model ensemble can more precisely predict grain N than a random single model. Models correctly simulated the effects of enhanced N input on grain N of winter wheat and winter barley, whereas effects of tillage and irrigation were less well estimated. However, the use of continuous simulation did not improve the simulations as compared to single year simulation based on the multi-year performance, which suggests needs for further model improvements of crop rotation effects.     

Genetic effects of embryo and endosperm for four malting quality traits of barley

Seed of seven cultivars of two-rowed barley (Hordeum Vulgare L.) and F2 seed from a half-diallel set of crosses among the cultivars were malted in two years to obtain data on diastatic power (DP), alpha-amylase activity (αAA), beta- amylase activity (βAA) and malt nitrogen (N) content. Embryo and endosperm genetic effects on the traits were studied by using a genetic model including genotype × environment interaction for malting quality characters. Variation of the four malting quality traits was affected by gentic effects and environmental interaction. Performance of DP and βAA was mainly controlled not only by endosperm dominance effects but also by embryo genotype × environment interaction and endosperm dominance × environment interaction. Variation of αAA and malt N content was controlled by both embryo and endosperm genetic effects, but the embryo dominance and endosperm additive effects contributed a major part to the total genetic effects. Significant interaction variances (embryo additive × environment and dominance × environment and endosperm dominance × environment) were also observed for αAA and malt N content. Diastatic power was related positively to βAA. Malt N content was associated positively with DP, largely because of the relationship between malt N and βAA. No obvious phenotype association between DP and αAA was found. General narrow-sense heritabilities of αAA and malt N content were 26.1% and 27.8%, respectively. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Breeding and brewing quality of the Canadian malting barley variety ‘CDC Goldstar’ lacking lipoxygenase-1

Various types of malt quality profiles have been investigated to benefit the North American brewing industry. Herein, we report the development and brewing quality of the hulled, two-row malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) variety ‘CDC Goldstar’ lacking lipoxygenase-1 (LOX-1-less). This new variety offers a novel malt type for the improvement of beer flavor stability. The agronomic performance of ‘CDC Goldstar’ was tested in the Western Cooperative Two Row Barley Registration Trials during 2013–2014. In addition to high lodging tolerance, the new variety showed 6% higher yield than the current leading variety ‘CDC Copeland’. The malt quality of ‘CDC Goldstar’ showed higher diastatic power and lower wort β-glucan content than ‘CDC Copeland’ and controllable proteolytic modification (soluble nitrogen and Kolbach Index). Pilot- (100 L) and commercial-scale (5,000 L) brewing trials were conducted using ‘CDC PlatinumStar’, another LOX-1-less variety with a low enzymatic profile, as the control variety. Absence of the LOX-1 trait from ‘CDC Goldstar’ maintained trans-2-nonenal levels in aged beers as low as those in other LOX-1-less varieties without affecting major beer parameters, such as ester and aldehyde content or foam stability. The newly developed ‘CDC Goldstar’ malting barley provides added value for the beer industry and consumers.     

The Effect of Different Preceding Crops on the Development, Growth and Yield of Winter Barley

Reliable estimations of the yield response of winter barley to different preceding crops are necessary for the design of crop rotations.
The grain yield and yield components of winter barley (cv. Tapir ) following either rapeseed, oats, wheat or barley were determined in five years of field experiments on a sandy loam (Luvisol) at the Hohenschulen experimental station near Kiel, Germany, F.R. The growth, development and incidence of take-all ( Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici ) was measured in a total of three years. On average over the five years barley grown after oats yielded 0.8 t per ha (11 %) more than barley following wheat which was mainly due to a higher number of ears per m². Barley following either oats or rapeseed produced a higher dry weight and a larger number of tillers per m² compared with barley grown after wheat or barley. This effect was already-present at the sampling date before winter. Take-all ratings were constantly higher in barley following a susceptible crop, but only reached a severe level late in the season and therefore could not explain the observed differences in growth, development and subsequently grain yield. Since no other pathogens affected the development other non-pathogenic causes must be considered as main causes for the described observations and yield differences.     

垄作栽培对啤酒大麦产量和品质的影响

探讨在等量灌水条件下垄作栽培对啤酒大麦产量和品质的影响。结果表明：（1）垄作栽培生育期长于传统平作栽培,单株穗数低于传统平作栽培,经济系数高于传统平作栽培,株高、穗粒数、产量影响趋势不一致,品种之间存在差异。（2）原麦品质：垄作栽培与传统平作栽培籽粒千粒重之间差异不显著,蛋白质含量之间差异显著,粒筛选率之间差异极显著水平,千粒重、蛋白质含量、筛选率均降低。（3）麦芽品质：垄作栽培麦芽蛋白质含量均较传统平作栽培降低,麦芽细粉浸出物、β-葡聚糖、a-氨基氮、a-淀粉酶、糖化力、可溶性氮之间差异不显著,库值含量之间差异达显著水平,但影响趋势不一致,品种之间存在差异。     

西藏青稞冬春性鉴定及抽穗期多样性与稳定性分析

为提高青稞种质资源的利用效率并筛选优异杂交亲本,分别在西藏林芝和拉萨两地的春播和秋播环境下对1605份青稞种质资源进行冬春性鉴定和抽穗期多样性分析。设拉萨春播2个播期,即正常春播I和晚10 d春播II,以2个播期的抽穗期变化作为冬春性区别依据。结果表明,96.2%的西藏青稞地方品种为春性,在西藏3个生态区均有分布,冬性品种仅有3.8%,且主要分布在以林芝为主的藏东南生态区;抽穗期的Shannon-Wiener's多样性分析表明,春播条件下抽穗期多样性高于秋播,拉萨春播条件下抽穗期多样性最高,林芝春播次之,林芝秋播最低;在相同环境下,地方品种的多样性高于育成品种;在环境稳定性分析中, 368份春性地方品种和21份育成品种在不同环境中抽穗期较为稳定,其中康青3号在两地所有参试品种中抽穗期稳定性最高。本研究为全面理解西藏青稞资源的冬春性、抽穗期多样性和环境稳定性提供了参考,为广适应性青稞品种培育筛选出环境稳定性佳的亲本材料。     

世界大麦生产、贸易特征及对我国的影响与启示

摘要：中国啤酒大麦进口量连续多年占到了国内需求量的50%以上,国际大麦市场的诸多变动都将给中国大麦及啤酒产业带来重大影响。本文总结分析了世界大麦生产贸易格局变动以及啤酒大麦主要出口国的发展特征,在此基础上探讨了对中国的影响与启示。主要结论为：世界大麦生产、出口非常集中,进口相对分散,容易产生市场波动和价格垄断;啤酒大麦的出口市场主要由澳大利亚、加拿大和欧盟主导,其生产和贸易波动较大;“大国效应”能够起到“调节阀”的作用,我国可以利用进口大国地位获取价格话语权;我国大麦生产应该以“质”取胜,而不是以“量”取胜,国产大麦和进口大麦共存的局面将长期维持。关键词：大麦 啤酒 生产 贸易     

大麦籽粒β-葡聚糖含量的全基因组关联分析

葡聚糖是大麦籽粒的一个重要品质性状,其含量高低影响大麦啤用、饲用和食用品质。虽然有关大麦β-葡聚糖合成的相关基因已有报道,但关于大麦籽粒β-葡聚糖积累的遗传调控机制仍不十分清楚。本研究以前期收集的全球119份大麦基因型为材料,种植在土壤与气候条件有一定差异的两试点,利用混合线性模型(MLM)和一般线性模型(GLM)对不同大麦材料籽粒β-葡聚糖含量进行GWAS分析。结果表明,大麦籽粒β-葡聚糖含量的基因型差异显著,其在2个环境下的广义遗传力为73.9%。利用MLM和GLM模型分别检测到8个和40个显著位点,合并2个模型重叠位点后共得到44个显著位点,其中HORVU5Hr1G022710基因在2个模型、2个地点均被鉴定到,故被认为是与β-葡聚糖含量显著相关的候选基因。2个模型中最佳等位基因数与β-葡聚糖含量均呈显著正相关。此外,基于基因注释,共鉴定到10个与糖合成、转运及分解相关的酶类基因,这些基因可能与籽粒中β-葡聚糖的合成、积累和分解紧密相关。本研究结果为阐明β-葡聚糖的遗传调控机制提供了新的视角,亦为大麦籽粒β-葡聚糖的遗传改良奠定了一定的理论基础。     

“天达2116”对西藏冬青稞生长发育的影响研究

为解决西藏作物生产上易受干旱、霜冻危害寻找安全环保的新途径,选择“天达2116”对冬青稞进行拌种、叶面喷施、春天复壮、拌种+叶面喷施、拌种+春天复壮、拌种+复壮+叶面喷施等6个处理,研究其在高原这种特殊生态环境条件下对西藏冬青稞生长发育的影响。结果表明,6个处理的青稞籽粒产量均高于对照,依次比对照增产4.84%、29.49%、19.19%、14.35%、19.03%、38.07%,其中“拌种+复壮+叶面喷施”处理青稞的增产幅度最大,达38.07%,主要是通过提高青稞的千粒重、单株有效穗数来提高其产量;6个处理的青稞秸秆产量均高于对照,且增产趋势与子粒增产趋势基本一致;6个处理的青稞子粒每公顷比对照经济效益高324.30元,2047.80元,1293.30元,901.50元,1244.25元和2601.30元。因此,建议“天达2116”在西藏青稞上应用以“叶面喷施”或“拌种+复壮+叶面喷施”2个处理为最佳。     

Genetic dissection of endosperm hydration in malting barley (Hordeum vulgare)

Hydration of the endosperm is a critical part of the malting process that ensures proper modification of the grain. However, little is known about the genetic controls of endosperm hydration and its relationship to agronomic and malt quality traits. The extent of endosperm hydration is estimated through hydration index (HYI). We measured HYI, agronomic, and malt quality traits on a 169-line subset of the NSGC Barley Core Panel, which includes global malt lines, some dating from the inception of European breeding programmes. Utilizing GWAS, 61 QTLs were identified for HYI, dormancy, agronomic, and malt quality traits. Of these, six were found to be related to HYI and were located on 1H, 2H, 3H, 6H, and 7H. We found HYI QTLs cosegregating with kernel size and hardness (1H and 3H), malting quality (2H and 6H), and dormancy (2H and 6H). These results indicate that endosperm hydration after steeping can be improved by selecting high HYI alleles on 2H, 6H, and 7H, positively impacting malting quality without negatively impacting kernel size or dormancy.     

The effect of water and nitrogen availability during grain filling on the timing of dormancy release in malting barley crops

Pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) causes immediate loss of seed viability, making barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) grains worthless for malting purposes. Grain dormancy release rate in barley crops is genetically and environmentally controlled. A 2 year experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of soil nitrogen and water availability during grain filling on the dormancy release pattern (and then on the PHS susceptibility) for five malting barley commercial cultivars. Drought and well-irrigated control treatments were imposed from anthesis onwards, and contrast nitrogen fertilization treatments were applied at tillering. Nitrogen availability showed no effects on dormancy release. Drought during grain filling accelerated dormancy release with respect to well-irrigated control in 2004, but not in 2005 year. Mean temperatures during the last stages of grain filling were much higher (ca. 6°C) in 2005 than in 2004, indicating that high-dormancy loss promoting temperatures had masked drought effects on dormancy release.     

Application of quantitative trait locus mapping to the development of winter-habit malting barley*

Malting quality and winter-hardiness in barley are ‘ultimate’ phenotypes composed of constituent quantitatively inherited traits. A synthesis of molecular-marker linkage data and field phenotyping to reveal the location of quantitative trait loci (QTL) may assist in the development of winter-habit malting barley varieties. One-hundred doubled haploid progeny from a winter x spring cross were evaluated under fall and spring-planted conditions. Malting quality phenotypes and a 76-point map were used to identify QTL and to assess the effect of spring-and autumn-sowing on QTL expression. Many QTL effects were common to both environments and corresponded to QTL detected in other barley germplasm. While there were significant differences in the magnitude of effects across environments, there were no changes in the favourable allele phase. QTL effects for grain protein and diastatic power level coincided with the locations of known function genes. Coincident QTL for a number of mailing-quality traits on chromosome 7 suggests either the presence of a multi-locus cluster of genes controlling components of malting quality or a regulatory gene or genes controlling the cascade of enzymatic processes that function during the malting process. Based on these results, simultaneous selection for malting quality and cold tolerance should be possible in this genetic background.     

Comparative analysis of Australian and Canadian barleys for seed dormancy and malting quality

The association between high malting quality and pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) susceptibility is a key challenge when developing new malting barley varieties. A new malting barley variety Baudin has successfully combined high malting quality and PHS tolerance. A doubled haploid population was developed for mapping PHS tolerance and seed dormancy from a cross of Baudin?×?AC Metcalfe using 233 molecular markers. Three QTLs were mapped for seed dormancy based on the standard germination test at 24, 48 and 72?h. One major QTL was mapped to the long arm of chromosome 5H controlling seed dormancy and PHS tolerance from Baudin. Two other minor QTLs were identified from Baudin on chromosomes 3 and 7H. QTL/QTL interaction was detected for seed dormancy between chromosomes 3 and 5H. The PHS tolerance allele of the 5H QTL from Baudin contributes to higher malt yield without significant impact on diastatic power, beta-glucan content and wort viscosity. QTL from Baudin provide new sources to integrate PHS tolerance and high malting quality.     

Die Ertragsentwicklung von Wintergetreide und Zuckerrüben bei dauerhafter Senkung des N-Düngungsniveaus

Effects of Long-term Fertilizer N Reduction on Winter Grain and Sugar Beet Yields
The results of recent field experiments concerning the effect of long-term N-reduction on the yield and quality of sugar beet, winter wheat and winter barley on plots which had previously had received ample amounts of N are studied in this paper.
The yield and quality of crops harvested on plots where N-dressings had been reduced for 6–8 years were similar to those of crops grown on plots where N-application had been reduced for only 1 year. Grain yield of winter wheat and winter barley grown without any N-application decreased to about 60 % of amounts normally harvested under local conditions with recommended N dressings, whereas the white sugar yield still remained at 90 %. The yields decreased slightly with an increase in the duration of the experiments. Yields of both cereals and beets remained constant within each level of fertilization, even 6 years after inition of trials with 50, 75 and 125 % of locally recommended N dressings.
On plots that did not receive nitrogen fertilization, N-contents of grain were between 1.5 and 1.7 % for winter wheat and 1.0 and 1.6 % N for winter barley. These contents remained constant over a trial period of 6 years. The amount of annual export of 55–91 kg N/ha also remained constant. Limited N availability causes a decrease in grain protein content rather than in grain yield.
Compared to winter grain species, sugar beet (with 74–117 kg N/ha in the beet body) could realize the highest annual export of nitrogen from the plot. Differences in annual N export existing between the various locations of the plots cannot be explained by differences in soil quality. Continuous high yields that were found even without any N-dressings may be explained by asymbiotic N-fixation, deposition of atmospheric N and a progressive decrease in soil N with 17–56 kg N/ha removed from soil resources annually.     

二棱大麦品种（系）的综合评价

为更精准筛选和选育不同用途二棱大麦品种,对38份不同来源及用途的二棱大麦品种（系）的株高、穗长、千粒重、穗粒数、有效穗数、籽粒产量和不孕粒数等主要农艺性状及籽粒蛋白质含量进行综合评价。结果表明,参试二棱大麦品种（系）有效穗数、产量、穗长、不孕粒数及蛋白质含量变异丰富,株高、千粒重及穗粒数变异相对较小,二棱大麦育种的增产效应主要体现在穗长和有效穗数的适度增加。相关性分析表明,二棱大麦各性状间存在复杂的相关性,且多个性状均可影响产量,有效穗数与产量呈极显著正相关。供试二棱大麦品种（系）在遗传距离10水平上可聚为中秆大粒型和矮秆多穗型两类。主成分分析将38份二棱大麦品种（系）的主要农艺性状分为4个主成分,其累计贡献率达85.5807%;以前4个主成分得分值为指标进行主成分二维排序分析,分析38份二棱大麦品种（系）在特定因子性状上的差异,结果为创制优异种质及亲本选择提供依据。